The project site is situated south-west of the town of S. Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore (PE), a hilltop village at the feet of the Majella massif, in a rural suburban area. This uncultivated piece of land is covered with oak trees and bounded by local roads. The new building is integrated within the natural setting. Its perimeter is shaped by the presence of trees in a play of sinuous lines whose intersections form acute angles. Toward the valley, the building is instead carved out by decisive cuts defining a central courtyard looking toward the mountainous panorama. The main elevation, to the east, is characterised by a succession of three concave walls with large windows, the central section of which hosts the main entrance. The north wall is defined by a long blind curve, in contrast with the articulated west elevation. Finally, the south elevation contains the classrooms, lit by long strip windows that maintain a direct relationship with the rows of oak trees along the street edge. The roof is cut along different angles, referencing the surrounding topography. Particular attention was paid to the colours and materials of finishes, in the search for a harmony with the surroundings: all of the exterior walls are finished in pigmented bush hammered concrete, while the courtyard elevations are finished in irregular coloured plaster. Opaque and glazed sections feature for earth tones, inspired by the existing natural and agricultural landscape.
The two levels are grafted onto the sloping terrain, allowing for access at different levels. The main elevation, to the east, is characterised by a succession of three concave walls with large windows, the central section of which hosts the main entrance. On the uppermost level, this entrance leads into the multipurpose atrium, directly coenacted with the cafeteria and circulation that leads, on the opposite side of the courtyard, to the school’s two clusters (configuring a C-shape, replicated on the lower level). The gym and its relative services are located at the end of the wing hosting the primary school, while the wing hosting the secondary school is closed by an auditorium connecting the two levels and looks toward an outdoor theatre.
Many areas of the school have been designed for flexible uses. The atrium, for example, with its movable furnishings, can be transformed from a reading island into a space for hosting small performances. Circulation is a natural extension of the classrooms and hosts additional spaces for learning and social interaction.
